After the shooting of two employees at the Israeli embassy outside the Jewish Museum, the capital, questions were asked on Thursday about whether there was sufficient security in this event on Wednesday.
It is not clear whether the museum provides a kind of security that spoke with experts ABC News is a routine, especially with diplomatic attendees and officials.
Metropolitan police chief Pamela A. Smith during a press conference on Thursday afternoon, there were special security officers working in this event, but they said that there were no MPD officers out of service.
“We are working to reopen the museum in the coming days, with all the necessary security, so that we can return to telling Washington’s Jewish story to thousands of visitors from all over the world,” said Beatrice Goorowitz, CEO of the Jewish Museum in the capital.
The former internal Security Undersecretary on behalf of intelligence and analysis, John Cohen, ABC news contributor, said that although the shooting at Yaron Lesinsky and Sarah Lin Milgram occurred near the Washington FBI field office, “this should not be an increasing matter of security,” said John Cohen, a former internal security undersecretary on behalf of the ABC.
“What this position shows is that we are in a period of the increasing threat-part of this threat directed to the Jewish community-and that the facilities related to the Jewish community, the societies based on faith need security measures to protect these people who visit these sites, whether for services, educational activities or private events, such as those that have happened last night.”
The head of the Metropolitan Police Department in the province of Colombia Pamela Smith speaks during a press update about shooting the night before the Israeli embassy employees, in the Ministry of Justice in Washington, DC, May 22, 2025.
Angerer/AFP drawing via Getty Images
Speaking to reporters outside the Jewish Capital Museum on Thursday morning, Public Prosecutor Bam Bondi admitted that she did not know the security position of the event before the shooting occurred.
But when ABC News was asked if there was a “security failure” given the proximity of the FBI, Bondi denied any security interruption.
“I don’t think anyone would have expected what happened last night,” Bondi said. “They were in an event, a beautiful event. People – it was an elegant event. They were wearing their clothes, they were all together and celebrated only.
She added: “But no, I think the application of the law was directly at the scene of the accident because of this, and the great men and women at the FBI do an incredible job, as well as the capital police.” “our [Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives] The agents were here. Our American guards here were working alongside the mayor and police chief, who could not say enough good now. “
Public Prosecutor Pam Bondi speaks with correspondents with law enforcement at the scene after employees of the Israeli embassy in Washington were shot outside the Jewish Museum, May 22, 2025, in Washington.
Rod Lami/father
The former deputy former agent responsible for Derek Mayer, from the Field Office for Secret Service, noted that “special entities that have internal security operations often complement their current position with additional security during special events or when they face a specific threat or concerns.”
“Those who do not have current security usually employ security or law enforcement outside the service for major events, holidays, during times of civil disturbances and when they learn a direct threat,” he added.
Mayer said: “Law enforcement employees usually work outside the service under the license of a private security company, taking into account specific regional laws and regulations.” “In this capacity, these officers are enabled to detain individuals who directly notice crimes or if they have reasonable reasons for the belief that a crime has occurred. After detention, the custody of individuals is immediately transferred to the law enforcement on service upon their arrival.”
The mayor of Washington, Morel Bosser, said that the event was not included in the category of “special events” in the city, where local and federal law enforcement will be a “position.”
“This was a relatively small event in a museum, so MPD or government agencies will not stop additional resources unless it was requested or unless we receive an invitation to serve.” However, I noticed that the local and federal government has grant programs “helped institutions and institutions faith and others who were concerned about violence, anti -Semitism, or other hateful discourse and discourse.”
She added: “We have recently issued grants and issued grants over the past few years for these institutions to harden their security, cameras and additional security, and I think the museum has made some of these things.”
Bondi said officials believed that the suspect had spent alone and that the investigation was continuing.
She said, “I saw the body of a young man being taken away, and he was about to engage. He had a full life in front of him, and this was taken away.” “Hate must stop, and you must now stop. This person will be tried to the maximum law.”
Misaskim members of the pavement cleaning group, where two Israeli embassy employees were shot near the Jewish Capital Museum in Washington, May 22, 2025.
Evlin Hakshttein/Reuters
The Prosecutor said that the Israeli embassy and ambassador are now safe, as well as in Jewish sites throughout the country, adding that she spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday night, that security has now increased in the region to ensure that the Israeli embassy and the ambassador are safe, as well as in the Jewish sites at the country level.
Bondi said: “He broke my heart to talk to Bibi last night. He destroyed, and assured him that we are looking for this,” Bondi said. “I also spoke to President Trump several times, who was sad and destroyed by this.”
“This day when we all need to meet, regardless of the debt we are on,” Bondi stressed. “As you know, the Islamic religion has actually communicated with our rabbis, showed condolences and sent a beautiful message, just showed me, and this is what should happen.”
In an invitation with the correspondents, representatives of the major Jewish collective organizations called for more government funding and security support for Jewish institutions in the aftermath of the shooting on Wednesday night outside the Jewish Museum.
Forensic officers investigate the shooting site outside the Jewish Museum, after a shooting behind two dead people, in Washington, DC, on May 22, 2025.
Angerer/AFP drawing via Getty Images
Cohen said that religious societies should be aware of the current threat.
“Good intelligence is the key,” he added. “If we want to prevent these types of violent actions, we must do better work in identifying global and physical warning signs that are almost always displayed by those who are preparing to conduct businesses from targeted violence.”
Investigators review the writings that were published on X and attribute to the shooting of the suspects Elias Rodriguez, 30, including writing of 980 words entitled “Endowment to Gaza, Bring War”, which seems to call for violence against the Israelis. Rodriguez cried out, “Palestine is free, free”, where he was detained in the wake of the shooting, but it is not clear whether the suspect was previously known to the officials.
“The FBI realizes some of the writings that the suspect is claimed, and we hope that we will have updates to originality very soon,” the Vice -Director of the FBI Dan Bonjino published a statement on Thursday morning, noting that the FBI met Rodriguez at about 1 am
Investigators said they believed that the writings are likely to be legitimate, but they are a major part of the investigation at the present time that they are working to confirm. In the movie “Ascalate for Gaza, Bing The War Home”, the author addressed the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and indicates that the latest number of deaths have been reduced. Citing what is called a transformation in the public tide towards Gaza in recent weeks, the author seemed to be the deplorable of the US government’s failure and said he had criminalized the protest.
The author, and it seems that he praises the “sacrifice” presented by Aaron Bouchnil, who was in February 2024 in line with the Israeli embassy in Washington, DC, and an attempt to drown from former Defense Secretary Robert McKinara for his role in the Vietnam War, then suggested that many Americans would judge these measures “St.”. The author signed love to his family and “Free Palestine”.
ABC News’ Josh Margoin, Helena Skinner and Jack Date contributed to this report.
